Fortis Hospital Noida has announced the successful completion of what is believed to be the world's first laparoscopic dual-lobe living donor liver transplant, marking a significant advancement in transplant surgery and minimally invasive healthcare.

The complex procedure was performed on a 51-year-old patient from Kyrgyzstan suffering from end-stage liver disease caused by chronic Hepatitis B infection. It was led by Dr. Vivek Vij, Chairman, Liver Transplant and Hepatobiliary Sciences, along with a multidisciplinary transplant team.

The recipient recovered well and was discharged in stable condition. Both living donors—his 20-year-old and 21-year-old daughters—also made an uneventful recovery and were discharged in good health.

In what Fortis described as a first-of-its-kind global achievement, liver donation surgeries for both donors were performed entirely through minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques. Compared to conventional open surgery, the approach resulted in smaller incisions, reduced pain, less blood loss, lower postoperative discomfort and faster recovery.

Each donor surgery lasted around five hours, while the recipient's transplant surgery was completed in approximately eight hours. Histopathological examination of the explanted liver confirmed advanced liver damage caused by chronic Hepatitis B and Hepatitis D infections.

The patient had been admitted with decompensated chronic liver disease, presenting with jaundice, recurrent ascites, gastrointestinal bleeding and episodes of altered consciousness. Further evaluation revealed advanced liver failure, portal hypertension, severe thrombocytopenia and impaired blood clotting. 

As a single donor liver graft was considered insufficient to meet the patient's metabolic requirements, the transplant team opted for a dual-lobe living donor liver transplant, using liver grafts donated by both daughters.

Dr. Vivek Vij, Chairman, Liver Transplant and Hepatobiliary Sciences, Fortis Hospital Noida, said, "Dual-lobe living donor liver transplantation is among the most technically demanding procedures in transplant surgery and is performed only at a handful of centres worldwide. Accomplishing it through a completely laparoscopic approach for both donors marks a major milestone in living donor liver transplantation.” 

Mohit Singh, Zonal Director, Fortis Hospital Noida, said, "Achieving this landmark transplant reflects our relentless pursuit of clinical excellence and innovation. It not only expands the frontiers of living donor liver transplantation but also establishes Fortis Hospital Noida as a trusted global destination for highly complex liver transplant procedures."